Cypress launches the industry's most integrated Bluetooth smart module

     Cypress Semiconductor has introduced a Bluetooth Smart Module, a Bluetooth low energy solution that is the first to integrate programmable analog and digital modules into a fully certified module. The new, small-size EZ-BLE™ PSoC® module is Bluetooth 4.1 compliant and greatly simplifies the design process and accelerates the time-to-market process through global management standards. Cypress offers a one-stop supply of chips, software, firmware and hardware modules that smooth customer support for the development of sensor-based, low-power iot systems, including sports and fitness monitoring devices, medical devices, wearables, home automation solutions and game controllers.

     Sensor-based systems require an analog front end (AFE) for sensing, digital control logic, a BLE RF module, and a microcontroller, while products with advanced user interfaces also require a touch or display IC. Based on Cypress's PSoC® 4 BLE programmable system-on-chip with ARM® Cortex-M0 core, the EZ-BLE PSoC module integrates all the modules needed for a sensor-based system in a compact space of 11-mm x 11-mm x 1.8-mm. And Cypress's industry-leading CapSense® capacitive touch function, two crystal oscillators, an on-board antenna, a metal shield and passive components. Customers designing with this module can apply to use the Bluetooth logo on their products by referencing the unique Certified Design Identification number (QDID) assigned to Cypress by the Bluetooth SIG. The EZ-BLE PSoC module complies with certification and radio management standards in key markets such as the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea and Europe, saving customers approximately $200,000 in hardware development, testing, manufacturing and certification costs.

     Dave Solda, Head of Cypress's Modules Division, said: "Sensor-based systems that connect the real world to the Internet of Things must operate interactively and autonomously using low-power wireless communication modules and batteries. "These system designs used to require multiple ics, but Cypress's EZ-BLE PSoC enables designers to improve system integration with a single, easy-to-use module, which reduces the solution's BOM cost, board space required, and time to market."

     Designers of Bluetooth smart products often need to use software tools from multiple vendors and develop complex firmware to meet wireless specification requirements. Cypress integrates the Bluetooth Low Power protocol stack and profile into a royalty-free, GUI-based BLE component that designers can drag and drop into their designs using Cypress's PSoC Creator™ IDE. PSoC Creator allows designers to complete system design with one simple tool. Application details of Cypress BLE components built into PSoC Creator, including all supported BLE protocol version application instances and hundreds of mixed-signal system design application instances.

     The EZ-BLE PSoC module allows designers to create custom AFE front ends for sensor interfaces using programmable analog modules such as operational amplifiers, comparators, ADCs, Dacs, and more. Designers can also integrate digital logic through programmable digital modules, including timers, counters, pulse-width modulators (TCPWM), serial communication modules (SCB), and universal digital modules (UDB). The programmable architecture allows UDBs to share CPU tasks, reducing power consumption for battery-operated applications, and dynamically reconfiguring individual modules to provide multiple functions.

     In addition to the EZ-BLE PSoC, Cypress also has the EZ-BLE PRoC™ module, which is based on Cypress's PRoC BLE programmable on-chip RF solution and is currently in production in compact 10-mm x 10-mm x 1.8-mm specifications. EZ-BLE PRoC is targeted at remote controls, medical and fitness devices, home appliances, toys and other wireless applications.

     Cypress offers the BLE Pioneer Development Kit for $49, which makes it easy to use Cypress BLE devices while maintaining the usual original design based on the PSoC 4 Pioneer kit. The kit includes a USB BLE adapter that pairs with the CySmart emulation tool to turn a designer's Windows® PC into a BLE debug environment. Designers can plug the EZ-BLE PSoC Evaluation Board (CYBLE-014008-EVAL) into the BLE Pioneer development kit to quickly and easily evaluate EZ-BLE PSoC modules.